How to Get Video Output from the Ricoh GR III

The Ricoh GR III does not have an HDMI port for direct video out. But it does have a USB-C port that supports the DisplayPort protocol. And that means you can get video output directly from the camera to

That means that you can output a direct video feed from the Ricoh GR III to a capture device or to a display device such as a computer display or TV.

And the good news is that, in most cases, you don’t need an expensive new accessory—just a relatively inexpensive USB-C to HDMI cable.

This is the one that’s been working well for me:

I’ve been connecting it to an Elgato Cam Link HDMI capture device. I go into more details on that device, and a similar setup process on a different camera, here.

What You Can Do With This

Once you can get a video feed out, it introduces a few things you can do.

1. Connect the GR III directly to a TV or computer monitor. This can be useful when traveling, for instance.
2. Use the GR III as a webcam camera. While it’s probably not a traditional choice to use a GR III with your work Zoom calls, you could if you wanted to. A more likely scenario is probably using it to stream live sessions or classes.
3. Capture screenshots of the menu items. That’s what I’ve done with the menu screenshots above and in other GR III-related posts on this site.
   

What the Manual Says

The manual isn’t particularly helpful on this topic. This is what it says:

• The USB terminal (USB Type-C) on this camera supports DisplayPort.
• To output images to a device with an HDMI® terminal, used a USB (Type-C)-to-HDMI® adapter. Some adapters cannot be used with this camera.

Which adapters? Good question. It doesn’t say. But the cable HDMI capture device I’ve mentioned above have been working well for me.

Things Worth Knowing

• The Ricoh GR III video out resolution is 1080p (1920 x 1080). Even if you connect a 4K capture device, you’re still going to be limited to that 1080p resolution.
• There’s no setting on the GR III that you need to switch to output video. It automatically detects.
• The type of output I’m talking about in this post is a video output stream. It might be the live view, the menu screens, or playback. But it’s different from exporting video files (or photo files) from your camera to a computer or smartphone for processing.
• The USB-C port on the GR III does triple duty: for data delivery, power delivery, and video stream output. But it does one at a time. So if you’re using a USB-C to HDMI cable for video stream output, of the type I’m referring to in this post, it does not transmit power and charge the camera’s battery (which wouldn’t happen over HDMI anyway).

Ricoh GR III Accessories & Replacement Parts

Here are the model numbers of some of the core accessories and replacement parts for the Ricoh GR III.

Lens Ring Cap

• Ring Cap: GN-1

The lens ring cap is the small plastic ring that attaches around the lens port. To the extent it’s a functional part of the camera, it’s mostly there to protect against grit getting into the attachment thread around the lens port. But it’s also largely decorative. Chances are, it’s fallen off. While you do have to remove it to attach the lens adapter for using filters or the wide-angle conversion lens, it’s a poor design that tends to fall off and get lost far too often. I’ve lost a couple of them now.

The camera will work just fine without it. But that will leave some contacts exposed around the lens barrel, which isn’t ideal.

The official replacement part is overpriced, but if you want to get the genuine replacement part, it’s model GN-1. But you can also pick up much less expensive aftermarket versions. They’re also available in different colors, so you can bling up your camera with a personal touch—or make it look like the Street Edition.

USB Cable

The GR III has a USB Type-C connector port. When you get a cable, you can get them with another USB Type-C connector on the other end or a more traditional USB Type-A connector. Which you choose depends entirely on what you’re plugging into. For example, some newer laptops only have USB-C, while most other computers have USB-A.

Not all USB-C cables support data transfer, though. That’s often something you’ll run into with USB-C cables designed for fast charging. So it’s worth checking the product description and specs first. 

Battery & Charger

• Battery: DB-110

The Ricoh GR III takes battery model DB-110. It’s a rechargeable lithium-ion battery rated at 3.6V 1350mAh 4.9Wh.

There are some other cameras that also use the same battery—notably, some Olympus cameras (the Olympus model number for the same battery is LI-90B). So they’re quite widely available. You can get the official Ricoh version. There are also aftermarket versions that can be much better value but work just as well.

• Charger: BJ-11

You can charge the battery in the camera (using a USB-C cable). There are also external battery chargers available. They’re especially useful if you’re using spare batteries, so you can charge and shoot simultaneously.

• AC Adapter: K-AC166

This is used to power the camera for longer shoots, such as time-lapse, or if you happen to be using the camera for live streaming as a webcam. It connects via the camera’s USB-C port.

Wide-Angle Conversion Lens

• Wide-Angle Lens: GW-4
• Lens Adapter: GA-1

Ricoh has produced a wide-angle conversion lens that takes the standard 28mm view down to a 21mm (in 35mm equivalent). While it does add some extra bulk to an otherwise small camera, it works well and adds a more dramatic, wider view. I have an in-depth review of it separately.

Something to be aware of, though, is that you will also need to pick up the GA-1 lens adapter separately. For reasons I really don’t understand, the wide-angle conversion lens doesn’t come with the adapter, and both are required to make it work. So make sure you pick up one of those at the same time.

Remote Shutter Releases

• Wired Shutter Release: CA-3

This is the official Ricoh remote shutter. It connects to the camera via a USB cable, and it’s a simple shutter release (i.e., there’s no timer or intervalometer).

You can also find aftermarket shutter releases for the GR III.

External Viewfinders

• Standard External Viewfinder: GV-1
• Mini External Viewfinder: GB-2

The Ricoh GR III doesn’t have a built-in viewfinder. But they make two versions of an external viewfinder that slides into the camera’s hot shoe. It covers both the standard 28mm view as well as the 21mm view if you’re using the wide-angle conversion lens. There’s also a mini viewfinder; that model seems to be hard to find.

Screen Protector

The back screen of the GR III is quite exposed, and if you lie the camera on its back, the screen comes in contact with the surface. Even if you’re putting the camera in your pocket, there’s a risk of keys or coins scratching the screen.

There’s no official screen protector, but there are good aftermarket versions. The one I use is this one. It’s essentially a consumable that protects the screen. If you scratch the protector, you can quickly and easily replace it with another from the pack.

Carrying & Protection

• Soft Case: GC-11 (replaces the GC-9)

You can, of course, use the GR III with just about any camera case or bag. But Ricoh does make a dedicated soft case that fits snugly around the camera and offers some protection even if you’re toting the camera around in your pocket. I’ve been using one for a couple of years, and it’s held up very well, and it keeps my camera safer from bumps and scratches.

• Neck Strap: GS-3

Again, there’s no particular reason you have to use the official GR neck strap, but there is one. The main part is leather, and it even has a discreet, embossed “GR”.

If you do use a different strap, be aware that the strap loops on the camera are very small and won’t take thicker (i.e., stronger) attachment loops. So you might need to use some D-rings as well.

• Hand Strap: GS-2

There’s even an official “GR” leather hand strap! But, again, aside from the branding, there’s no special reason to use the official strap. If you do use a different one, you might need D-rings if the thread doesn’t go through the camera’s small attachment loops.

External Flash

Unlike some of its predecessors, the GR III doesn’t have a built-in flash. It supports the Pentax P-TTL flash protocol.

Pentax External Flashes:

• AF540GZ II
• AF360FGZ II
• AF201FG

Ricoh GR III Manual

You can find it here. 

Something to be aware of is that if you do a web search for the manual, you’ll often end up at the manual for the Ricoh Digital III manual, which is a different, and older, camera. 

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